Be a Scientist!
Bring Biology to Life
through Citizen Science
LoriAnne Barnett & Jill Nugent
Jennifer Fee & Nancy Trautmann
Terry Tomasek
NancyLee Bergey
Session Overview
» Defining “citizen science”
» Teaching with citizen
science
» Navigating the book and
lessons
» Implementation strategies
Projects in which
volunteers partner
with scientists to
answer real-world
questions.
In citizen science, people
everywhere report observations
of natural events using basic,
scientific protocols.
Buds…
Birds…
Frogs and other amphibians…
Butterflies and other insects…
All help us put the puzzle together…
Value in Data
Why Citizen Science?
 Gets kids outside
 Generates questions and the
opportunity for investigations
 Teaches STEM content and
meet science standards
 Environmental stewardship
 Access to real life data
 Connects kids to the scientific
community
It’s fun…
it’s kids being scientists
It’s
learning…
In the Monarch Larvae
Monitoring Program,
youth “bond” over
loving science!
(Kountoupes and Oberhauser 2008)
Photo, MLMP photo gallery
… and it’s
real science!
Monarch data predict ideal
breeding conditions will be
found further north in
the future.
(Batalden et al. 2007)
Introductory Chapters
1.
2.
3.
4.
5.
6.
7.
What is Citizen Science ?
Why Use Citizen Science in Your Teaching?
Implementation Strategies
Case Study: Connecting With Students Through Birds
Case Study: The Mystery of Monarchs
Case Study: Amphibians and Reptiles
An Integrative Approach to Studying our
Changing Planet
Lesson Plans
1. Whale Song Project
2. It's Been a Hard Day's Flight: Flight Distances of Monarchs
3. Terrestrial Invertebrates
4. Signs of Spring: Earthworm Inquiry
5. Animated Maps for Animated Discussions
6. Bird Migration Patterns in My Area
7. Habitat Matters: YardMap Your Schoolyard!
8. Winter Twig Investigation
9. Flight of the Pollinators: Plant Phenology
10. Ozone Biomonitoring Garden Study
11. Turtle Trackers
12. Who’s Out There? A Calling Amphibian Survey
13. Wetland Discovery
14. Citizen Science to Study Marine Food Webs
15. Tree Squirrels: Narrators of Nature in Your Neighborhood
Appendices
Lessons Mapped to:
• Scientific Practices (NGSS)
• Crosscutting Concepts (NGSS)
• Key Science Topics
• Science Process Skills
• Primary Location and Season
Lesson Plans: Songs and Calls
1. Whale Song Project
12. Who’s Out There?
A Calling Amphibian Survey
Whale Song Project (1)
by Debra Taylor Hall, NC Dept. of Public Instruction
http://whale.fm/
Song or call?
♪Hey sweetie,
come check
out my
awesome
territory and
my nice
colors’♪
» A song is a longer and
more complex
vocalization, often with
specific repeated patterns
• Usually used to attract
mates or defend territory
» A call is a shorter, simpler
vocalization
I’m here!
Where are
you?
wikipedia.org/wiki/Whale
• Used to sound alarms, tell
others about food, keep
track of each other
wildcarolina.com/spring-peepers/
Who’s Out There? A Calling Amphibian Survey (12)
by Terry Tomasek, Elon Univ. & Jill Nugent, Texas Tech Univ.
Lesson Plans: Cycles
2. It's Been a Hard Day's Flight:
Flight Distances of Monarchs
4. Signs of Spring: Earthworm Inquiry
5. Animated Maps for Animated
Discussions
6. Bird Migration Patterns in My Area
8. Winter Twig Investigation
9. Flight of the Pollinators: Plant
Phenology
Animated Maps for Animated Discussions (5)
Bird Migration Patterns in My Area (6)
by Jennifer Fee, Cornell lab of Ornithology
Where and when did you look?
Which birds did you see?
How many of each kind of bird?
How often do eBirders in Illinois see Rubythroated Hummingbirds and Northern Cardinals?
Photo credit: L. Romano
Plant and animal species = 943 total
3727 observers reporting (11,587 total) making 603,073 observations
13,249 sites, 6404 active sites
As of 9/1/14
ANIMAL
Activity
Reproduction
 Active
individuals
 Feeding
 Male combat
 Mating
PLANT
Leaves
 Young leaves
 Leaves
 Colored
leaves
Development
 Young
individuals
 Dead
individuals
Method
 Individuals
at a
feeding
station
PHENOPHASES
Flowers
 Flowers or
flower buds
 Open
flowers
Fruits
 Ripe fruits
 Recent
seed or
fruit drop
…How Many?
Lesson Plans: Habitat
7. Habitat Matters: YardMap Your
Schoolyard!
13. Wetland Discovery
15. Tree Squirrels: Narrators of
Nature in Your Neighborhood
Habitat Matters: YardMap Your School Yard (7)
by Nancy Trautmann, Jennifer Fee, and Jennifer Goforth, Cornell Lab of Ornithology
YardMap is a citizen science project designed to cultivate a richer
understanding of bird habitat, for both professional scientists and people
concerned with their local environments.
Wetland Discovery (13)
by Terry Tomasek, Elon Univ. and Danielle Marchand, Bridgewater Junior/Senior High
Tree Squirrels: Narrators of Nature in Your
Neighborhood (15)
by Steve Sullivan, Kristi Backe, and Michelle Rabkin, Chicago Academy of Sciences
Lesson Plans: Animals
3. Terrestrial Invertebrates
11. Turtle Trackers
Terrestrial Invertebrates (3)
by Susan Sachs, Great Smoky Mountains National Park
ggep.org/plants-animals-gallery
Hands on the Land
is a national network of field classrooms and
agency resources to connect students,
teachers, families, and volunteers with public
lands and waterways. Hands on the Land
brings classroom learning to life in America's
Turtle Trackers (11)
largest classroom!
by Jill Nugent, Texas Tech University
Californiaherps.com
Lesson Plans: Interactions
9. Flight of the Pollinators
10. Ozone Biomonitoring
Garden Study
14. Citizen Science to Study
Marine Food Webs
DATA DOWNLOAD
Red maple (Acer rubrum) in 2013
collected via Nature’s Notebook
http://www.usanpn.org/data/visualizations
Ozone Bio-Monitoring
Garden Study (10)
by Susan Sachs,
Great Smoky Mountains National Park
Implementation Strategies
» Resources for getting started:
• CitizenScience.org
• SciStarter.com
Implementation Strategies
http://www.birdsleuth.org/csbook/
Questions?